Subsurface defect characterization and laser-induced damage performance of fused silica optics polished with colloidal silica and ceria

This paper mainly focuses on the influence of colloidal silica polishing on the damage performance of fused silica optics. In this paper, nanometer sized colloidal silica and micron sized ceria are used to polish fused silica optics. The colloidal silica polished samples and ceria polished samples exhibit that the root-mean-squared(RMS) average surface roughness values are 0.7 nm and 1.0 nm, respectively. The subsurface defects and damage performance of the polished optics are analyzed and discussed. It is revealed that colloidal silica polishing will introduce much fewer absorptive contaminant elements and subsurface damages especially no trailing indentation fracture. The 355-nm laser damage test reveals that each of the fused silica samples polished with colloidal silica has a much higher damage threshold and lower damage density than ceria polished samples. Colloidal silica polishing is potential in manufacturing high power laser optics.     

Correlation of polishing-induced shallow subsurface damages with laser-induced gray haze damages in fused silica optics

Laser-induced damage in fused silica optics greatly restricts the performances of laser facilities. Gray haze damage,which is always initiated on ceria polished optics, is one of the most important damage morphologies in fused silica optics.In this paper, the laser-induced gray haze damages of four fused silica samples polished with CeO_2, Al_2O_3, ZrO_2, and colloidal silica slurries are investigated. Four samples all present gray haze damages with much different damage densities.Then, the polishing-induced contaminant and subsurface damages in four samples are analyzed. The results reveal that the gray haze damages could be initiated on the samples without Ce contaminant and are inclined to show a tight correlation with the shallow subsurface damages.     

熔石英表面热致应力对激光损伤行为影响的研究

为了研究热致应力对光学元件损伤特性的影响,通过实验测试退火处理消除热应力和未消热应力石英基片的激光损伤特性,研究了热致应力对石英元件初始损伤阈值、损伤增长阈值以及损伤增长规律的影响.结果表明,热致应力对熔石英光学元件的初始损伤阈值有影响,初始损伤阈值随着热致应力增大而降低;热致应力会加剧激光引发的损伤增长,相同的激光通量下,表面应力越大的区域拥有越高的损伤增长因子,但损伤增长仍遵从指数增长规律.热致应力对损伤增长阈值没有明显的影响.本文的研究将为CO2激光预处理工艺能否被应用于大口径光学元件提供一个必要的技术参考.     

超声波辅助酸蚀提高熔石英损伤阈值

为了提高熔石英元件表面抗激光损伤阈值,利用超声波辅助HF酸研究平滑光学元件表面缺陷形貌和去除刻蚀后残留物效果,通过扫描电子显微镜电镜和原子力显微镜记录表面形貌结构,以及单脉冲激光辐照测试抗损伤阈值确定实验参数。研究表明,超声波场的引入能催化HF酸的刻蚀速率、提高钝化效果并且更易剥离嵌入的亚μm级杂质粒子。经过实验测试,获得了熔石英类元件相匹配的超声辅助HF酸刻蚀实验参数,研究结果对应用超声波辅助HF酸研究熔石英表面抗激光损伤有重要意义。     

抑制损伤发展的CO_2激光修复技术及机理研究

熔石英表面激光损伤发展问题一直制约着激光器的运行通量。采用CO2激光在线熔融修复损伤点,修复后形成一个光滑的高斯坑,去除了损伤点中的裂纹,平滑了凹凸不平的表面,并且在紫外脉冲激光作用下,修复斑再次产生损伤的阈值高于熔石英元件的损伤生长阈值。因此CO2熔融修复技术能有效地抑制损伤发展。通过分析CO2激光作用下熔石英表面的温度分布,讨论修复坑的形成过程,确定激光参数对修复效果的影响,为寻找最佳修复参数提供理论基础。同时利用原子力显微镜(AFM)、轮廓仪细致分析损伤点和修复斑的微细结构,采用有限差分时域方法计算损伤点和修复斑周围的光强分布,探索消除裂纹和平滑表面对抑制损伤生长的作用。     

化学刻蚀过程中熔石英表面沉积物的形成及其对激光损伤的影响

化学刻蚀是提升熔石英光学元件抗激光损伤性能的重要后处理技术之一,但刻蚀后熔石英表面附着的沉积物对其表面质量、透射性能和抗激光损伤性能有很大影响。使用光学显微镜和原子力显微镜表征了化学刻蚀后附着于熔石英表面的沉积物的微观形貌,并分析了其形成机理;X射线能谱分析表明化学刻蚀后熔石英表面沉积物主要由Fe,Ni,Al等元素的金属盐组成。损伤阈值测试结果表明熔石英表面高密度沉积物区域的损伤阈值明显低于非沉积物区域,沉积物对熔石英光学元件的抗激光损伤性能产生严重影响,它们是诱导熔石英激光损伤的前驱体。     

The electric field modulation by lateral crack coated with HfO2/SiO2 high reflector

High-dielectric constant multilayer coatings are commonly used on optics to increase the laser damage resistance of optics. In this work, the three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain is improved to simulate the electric field intensity distribution in the silica–hafnia multilayer coatings on fused silica subsurface with lateral crack. Results reveal that as the substrate is defect-free, the largest intensification is at the surface layer, especially in the hafnia layer. As the lateral crack appears on the subsurface of fused silica, the intensified sites are mainly located at distorted coatings layers. Dependences of peak LIEF on crack's parameters are detailed investigated. Results show that laser intensification is more sensitive to its width, and the modulation of lateral defect with silica–hafnia multilayer is greater than nodular defect as its width larger than 5λ.     

Laser-induced damage on large-aperture fused silica gratings

Two sets of laser-damage experiments on large-aperture fused silica optics have been carried out in a high-power laser facility. Severe damage has been found on the grating which presented dense craters on the front surface. This phenomenon is quite different from other fused silica optics, which are damaged on the rear surface. The damage possibility due to the redeposition layer was ruled out by acid-etching the grating’s front surface. The remarkable stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) effect was observed in grating and the reason for the front surface damage is thought to be the backward SBS.     

熔石英紫外激光初始损伤形态分析

 采取355 nm激光脉冲辐照熔石英样品,利用Nomarski微分干涉差显微镜、原子力显微镜和扫描电子显微镜观测手段对前后表面产生的损伤点进行了观察分析。对前后表面损伤形态做出详细的描述和分类,从理论上对每种损伤类型产生的条件与机理做出推测。实验结果表明：熔石英前表面存在小麻点群损伤和星状裂纹损伤两种损伤形态,横向尺寸分别为0.8～2.5和1.0～5.5 μm;后表面存在小麻点群损伤、壳状剥离损伤和火山口3种损伤形态,损伤横向尺寸分别为0.48～1.33,4～20和12～30 μm。实验证明了1 μm尺度损伤点的产生与再沉积层密切相关。     

Incident laser modulation of a repaired damage site with a rim in fused silica rear subsurface

Local CO2 laser treatment has proved to be an effective method to prevent the 351-nm laser-induced damage sites in a fused silica surface from exponentially growing, which is responsible for limiting the lifetime of optics in high fluence laser systems. However, the CO2 laser induced ablation crater is often surrounded by a raised rim at the edge, which can also result in the intensification of transmitted ultraviolet light that may damage the downstream optics. In this work, the three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain method is developed to simulate the distribution of electrical field intensity in the vicinity of the CO2 laser mitigated damage site located in the exit subsurface of fused silica. The simulated results show that the repaired damage sites with raised rims cause more notable modulation to the incident laser than those without rims. Specifically, we present a theoretical model of using dimpled patterning to control the rim structure around the edge of repaired damage sites to avoid damage to downstream optics. The calculated results accord well with previous experimental results and the underlying physical mechanism is analysed in detail.     

熔石英损伤修复坑下游光场调制的数值模拟与实验研究

系统研究了熔石英激光损伤修复后的形貌特征,根据测量数据建立了典型的损伤修复坑三维模型,利用标量衍射理论并结合快速傅里叶变换算法研究了修复坑在351 nm激光辐照下游光场调制的分布规律.研究表明,修复坑引起的光场调制会使得下游不同距离位置处出现环形光场增强区和轴上位置光场增强点;环形光场增强区位置距离修复元件较近,其环形调制极大值主要受修复坑深度的影响,且随修复坑深度的增大而逐渐增加;轴上位置光场增强点位置距离修复元件较远,其轴上调制极大值主要受修复坑边缘凸起高度的影响,且随凸起高度的增大而快速增加;环形调制极大值或轴上调制极大值增大的同时,其分布位置与修复元件之间的距离均会逐渐减小.实验验证表明,利用三维修复坑模型得到的下游光场调制数值模拟结果与实验测量结果具有较好的一致性.本研究结果对控制熔石英元件损伤修复形貌特征以抑制调制增强效应给出了具体的控制方向,对修复工艺的改进与完善提供了非常有意义的参考.     

预处理对355nm激光作用下熔石英损伤增长的影响

测试了经化学蚀刻、紫外激光预处理及其共同处理后的熔石英355 nm激光损伤阈值;研究了处理前后其损伤斑面积随激光辐照脉冲数的增长情况。结果表明,处理后熔石英355 nm激光损伤阈值得到了提高,且损伤斑面积增长变慢。利用CO2激光对熔石英表面损伤点进行了修复处理,修复后的损伤点R-on-1抗损伤阈值和基底阈值相当,损伤增长得到有效抑制。     

退火参数对熔石英透射波前和损伤阈值的影响

 采用高温退火技术去除熔石英元件表面由于CO2激光修复带来的残余应力,研究了退火环境对元件的表面污染,分析了不同退火温度（600～900 ℃）和保温时间（3～10 h）对于元件残余应力、透射波前、表面粗糙度和激光损伤阈值的影响。结果表明:在800 ℃以下,高温退火10 h可有效去除CO₂激光修复带来的残余应力,对元件的透射波前和表面粗糙度无明显影响;石英保护盒能有效减少退火环境对元件表面产生的污染,但仍有X射线光电子能谱检测不到的表面污染物存在;在退火后采用质量分数为1%的HF刻蚀15 min,激光损伤阈值可恢复,同时元件透射波前和表面粗糙度并无明显的增加。     

The damage mechanism of fused silica surface induced by 355 nm nanosecond laser

In order to understand the physical mechanism, time-resolved dynamics of 355 nm nanosecond laser induced entrance and exit surface damage on fused silica was investigated by using shadow graphic technique. The results show that the damage mechanism is different between the entrance and exit surface during nanosecond laser interaction with fused silica. The plasma and shock waves in air is relatively higher at the entrance surface. The entrance surface damage is reduced because plasma shielding limits energy deposition. Without plasma shielding, the exit surface damage is more serious for more laser energy deposition in material. And without the stress of plasma and shock waves, the material is ejected easily at rear surface. These are confirmed by damage micrograph at the entrance and exit surface.     

熔石英相位共轭镜无损工作状态分析

基于非线性光学耦合波方程组建立了聚焦泵浦条件下熔石英玻璃材料中SBS过程的物理模型并编制了相应的数值求解程序,研究了SBS介质内激光场的时空发展特征,从而试图揭示SBS介质的内在破坏机制并寻求相应的加固措施.通过数值模拟程序研究了焦点处激光功率密度以及SBS反射率与激光能量的依赖关系,发现SBS对介质内的激光场具有"限幅"作用,即在注入能量大幅度提升的情况下,内部的激光场强度只有较小的增加,这种机制使大能量的固体介质PCM成为可能.分析激光脉宽以及耦合透镜焦距等参数对SBS过程的影响发现,精细选择系统参数,在熔石英玻璃材料中有可能无损伤地实现高效的SBS过程.     

激光诱导熔石英表面损伤修复中的气泡形成和控制研究

基于熔石英材料在CO_2激光作用下的温度分布和结构参数变化的计算结果,对熔石英损伤修复中的气泡形成和控制进行了研究.针对损伤尺寸介于150—250μm之间的损伤点,提出了一种能够有效控制气泡形成的长时间低温预热修复方法.基于低温下熔石英材料结构弛豫时间常数较长的特点,该方法在不引起熔石英材料结构发生显著变化的同时,能够解吸附表面和裂纹处所附着的气体和杂质,可有效降低裂纹闭合过程中气泡形成的概率.实验结果表明,长时间低温预热修复方法的成功修复概率可达到98%.     

熔石英再沉积层结构的纳米级表征和杂质分析

利用原子力显微镜观察熔石英不同蚀刻时间的表面形貌,结合二次离子质谱分析,研究了熔石英的再沉积层结构和杂质分布。结果表明,熔石英表面深度10nm的再沉积层内存在大量微裂纹和杂质,经蚀刻展开形成nm级划痕和坑点,其分布随着深度增加呈指数衰减。根据nm级划痕密度、宽深比随蚀刻深度变化的规律,估算出再沉积层厚度,估算结果与二次离子质谱测得的杂质嵌入深度基本一致。杂质元素嵌入深度与抛光微裂纹分布特征的关联性表明,杂质很有可能藏匿在抛光微裂纹中。     

基于激光近场和图像分割技术的复合波长诱导熔石英损伤实验研究

在复合波长(波长分别为1053、527、351nm)情况下,利用激光近场对熔石英样品进行损伤实验。设计了一种基于激光近场辐照的损伤阈值定义方法,并利用带有灰度抑制的分水岭标记算法对损伤图像进行损伤区域提取,通过对比损伤图像与相应光束近场能量分布,计算出损伤区域与非损伤区域临界处的光能量密度,即为熔石英样品的损伤阈值。实验结果表明,复合波长激光诱导熔石英损伤是3种波长激光共同作用的结果,但351nm激光对损伤起主要作用,初始损伤阈值为8.22J/cm2;在复合波长激光多次辐照样品的情况下,熔石英样品后表面的损伤成指数形式增长,损伤增长系数为0.59。     

1064 nm和532 nm纳秒激光同时辐照熔石英损伤规律的研究

利用Nd: YAG激光器研究基频(1064 nm)与倍频(532 nm)单独辐照和同时辐照下熔石英的损伤规律,对损伤几率进行了测试,获得损伤几率曲线与典型损伤形貌。研究结果表明:双波长同时辐照下的初始损伤阈值总是小于单波长辐照下的初始损伤阈值;基频光中加入定量倍频光后,熔石英对基频光的吸收效率提高;并且双波长同时辐照下,熔石英损伤密度增大;原因主要是熔石英表面缺陷对不同波长吸收机制的差异。     

1064 nm激光致熔石英损伤的数值模拟研究

为了研究1064 nm激光对增透熔石英的热应力损伤机理以及等离子体分布等效应。基于热传导和气体动力学理论,探究了毫秒激光对增透熔石英的热应力损伤和致燃损伤的理论模型,利用comsol软件模拟了1064 nm激光作用增透熔石英时材料内部的热损伤、应力损伤以及激光支持燃烧波,模拟结果表明在激光光斑半径区域内,温升较为明显,形成较大的温度梯度,激光作用区域受热膨胀,其余区域会对膨胀发生抵制,因此材料内部产生应力,其中上表面的径向应力、环向应力在激光光斑边缘附近达到最大值,应力损伤应该先从辐照中心点或激光光斑边缘附近产生,同时发现等离子体的传播是稳态的,燃烧波的最大速度发生在最初时刻,并随着扩散时间逐渐变低。